Chocolate tempering is a process that needs to be done in couverture chocolate processing . What is couverture chocolate ?
There are two types of chocolate that are most often used in the culinary business, namely compound chocolate and couverture chocolate . Simply put, these two types of chocolate are distinguished by their cocoa fat content or cocoa fat.
Compound chocolate has a low cocoa fat content because it does not contain cocoa butter, so it is easy to process and does not need to go through a tempering process . On the other hand, couverture chocolate has a high cocoa butter content, so a tempering process is needed to maintain the stability of the fat in it.
So that you understand more about the chocolate tempering process , KioskCokelat has prepared complete information below. You will understand what is meant and how to temper chocolate easily.
Definition of Chocolate Tempering
Chocolate tempering is a chocolate processing process by playing the right temperature so that the cocoa butter does not separate from the solid cocoa content . Because of the high cocoa butter content, couverture chocolate has a physical appearance that looks more glossy or glossy .
Improper processing of couverture chocolate will cause cocoa butter to surface and this is known as fat bloom . In addition, the chocolate will also be lumpy and unable to melt completely, so you need to do the chocolate tempering process before the couverture chocolate can be used.
In short, the chocolate tempering process consists of 2 stages, namely the heating stage and the cooling stage. You will learn how to temper chocolate in a later lesson.
3 Ways to Temper Chocolate
To carry out the chocolate tempering process , there are 3 methods you can do, namely:
1. Ice Bath Method
The first method is to use an ice bath . You can use ice cubes to cool the melted chocolate. However, before going into the cooling process, you need to melt the chocolate first.
To use the ice bath method , the most appropriate technique for melting chocolate is the au bain-marie technique or what you may be more familiar with is the double boiler technique . You will need to chop the couverture chocolate into small pieces or crumble to make it easier to melt, then place in a large bowl.
Prepare a pot of water and heat the water on the stove. You need to pay attention, in the process of heating couverture chocolate , the heat temperature must be maintained between 45 to 50 o C. If the temperature is higher than that, the texture of couverture chocolate will change. Also make sure that no water gets into the bowl of your chocolate mixture.
Once the chocolate is completely melted, transfer the bowl to another bowl that has been filled with ice cubes. Stir the chocolate mixture until it reaches a temperature of 27oC then reheat the chocolate at the same temperature. The end result can be seen from the color of the shiny brown melt.
2. Seeding method
The seeding technique is very easy to do. You only need to melt the chocolate using the au bain-marie technique , but divide the chocolate into two bowls. Melt the first bowl first until all melted, then add little by little the chocolate in the other bowl, stirring until completely melted.
To melt couverture chocolate using the seeding method , the recommended temperatures for the types of chocolate are as follows:
- Dark chocolate is heated at 31 - 32 o C
- Milk chocolate is heated at 30 - 31 o C
- White chocolate is heated at 29 - 30 o C
3. Tabling Method
The final way to temper chocolate is to use the microwave . Chop the couverture chocolate and put it in a bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then put back in the microwave . Repeat this process several times until the couverture chocolate is completely melted.
Melted chocolate can be poured about ⅔ cup on a marble or granite countertop. You cannot apply this method if you do not use the table or mat.
The chocolate that has been poured is then leveled using a spatula, then agitated the chocolate many times to help the formation of chocolate crystals until it reaches a temperature of 26 to 29 o C. This step needs to be carried out to speed up the chocolate freezing process.
The last step, put the chocolate that has gone through the agitation process into the glass with ⅓ of the melted chocolate remaining, stir until evenly distributed. You can already use the chocolate for various kinds of chocolate preparations.
Isn't the process of tempering chocolate easy ? You can definitely do it yourself for a culinary business that is currently being run only with the information above. In addition, if you need quality couverture chocolate materials , please check the KioskCokelat product catalog.
Through our website , you will find various couverture chocolate products with different levels of cocoa solids . Contact KioskCokelat now to place an order for the couverture chocolate products you need.